A Stitch In Time
by LouiseX
Summary: Blight and Plunder are out to cause trouble and might just change the Planeteers lives forever.
1. Stamp Out The Fire

**A Stitch In Time**

**Summary: **Blight and Plunder are out to cause trouble.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Captain Planet, I'm just borrowing it and will make no money whatsoever from these stories.

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><p><strong>Stamp Out The Fire<strong>

"Get a move on Looten, I don't have all day." The mad scientist went back to checking her calculations.

A smooth, almost gentlemanly voice replied. "I rather thought that was the point of all this, Barbara my dear, surely we have all the time in the world?"

"It's **my** time you're wasting, Plunder." She growled. "Who needs that many clothes anyway?"

As the polluter struggled with his luggage, up the ramp and into Blight's ship, he wished again that he'd brought a henchman or two. "It's a matter of style, you can't possibly expect me to buy something to wear from the early eighties!"

She looked over his green suit with its leopard skin collar and the long ponytail that was currently over one shoulder. "Shall we tell him Mal Baby?"

The angular green face on her console sniggered. "Another waste of your time I fear, dear Doctor."

"What?" Plunder looked confused.

"Style is irrelevant." The half attractive woman dismissed the subject with a careless wave of her hand. "It doesn't matter what you do, just get on with it!"

Plunder snorted and continued on towards the sleeping area muttering under his breath. "That's the opposite of what she said last night! I wish she'd make up her mind, I'm supposed to wait for her but she..."

The ship suddenly lurched upwards and sent him flying into the wall.

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><p>"We have arrived, Doctor." Mal's clipped voice pronounced triumphantly. "Bensonhurst Brooklyn, May 1983."<p>

Blight preened, running her hands down the sides of her tight pink jumpsuit, but the harsh tone was back in her voice as she yelled to her companion. "Are you ready Plunder?"

"I'm still not sure about this Blight." The eco-villain told her. "Wouldn't you appeal more to that hormonal eco-punk?"

Sighing, Blight shook her head and picked up a book that had been lying on the console. "According to this recently to be published biography, '…at that time Nick Wheeler's alcohol problem and subsequent abuse of his wife and child drove young Jason out of his parents apartment and onto the unforgiving streets of New York."

The book closed with a snap making Plunder jump. "He needs a father figure, Looten. Besides he's only ten, too young to develop a crush on beautiful woman, he'd probably be more interested in a computer game."

Plunder snorted and moved to the hatch Mal had just opened for him. Climbing down the rope ladder that was hanging from the hovering craft, he watched the street until a small but still recognisable figure came into view. Jumping down just in front of Wheeler, Plunder took his target by surprise.

The young boy didn't have time to stop, he barrelled into the older man and fell back onto the ground. "Hey, watch it mister!"

"My apologies." The oily businessman replied. "But I have proposition for you."

Wheeler sniffed and wiped some wetness from his eyes, but as he took in Plunders appearance, his posture became wary and began to back off. "No thanks, man."

Mal's screen appeared in the ships hatch as it moved along its rail. "The good Doctor says you're making a mess of it Plunder, just bring the kid up here!"

The red heads eyes had gone wide at the sight of Mal, but he still managed to use the interruption to scramble to his feet and turn as if to run.

Plunder was quicker though, he grabbed the back of Wheeler's jacket and hauled him backwards.

"Let go!" the American boy struggled with all his might, but had not yet learned to defend himself properly, not that it would have helped since Mal came to the kidnappers aid with a metal pincher, dragging the future planeteer into Dr Blight's ship.

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><p>Wheeler glowered sulkily at his captors, a look of satisfaction crossing his face when Plunder hobbled painfully to a chair. "The little brat caught me full on the shin."<p>

"Shut up Plunder, things have gone badly enough already because of you." The blond woman, her face half covered by her hair, moved to stand in front of the American and tried to smile. "My associate wasn't supposed to scare you, cutey, we're here to recruit you."

Mal's metal arms still had him trapped and he could feel the strange craft moving. The young boy worried about how far away they were moving, before he remembered that he didn't have anywhere to go back to anyway. "Recruit me for what?"

"Look at that!" Plunder exclaimed from his chair. He had his shoe and sock off and was examining the yellow bruise their guest had given him. "I'll be all shades of purple in no time!"

Dr Blight rolled her eyes. "Don't be a baby."

She turned back to Wheeler, impressed that he wasn't crying anymore even though he was still clearly terrified. "We want to put a special team together, a team of gifted children… like you."

"I don't have no gifts lady." He glared, his stomach rolling as he remembered what his father had called him and he looked away.

"Now that's where you're wrong young man." Plunder, deciding to be useful, limped forward. "We happen to know you could have a great future… with us."

Wheeler sneered at him. "I bet."

Throwing himself into the role, the criminal continued. "I'm serious. I know you've misunderstood our purpose in collecting you, but I assure you no harm will come to you. You will see in time that all we want is for you to join us, we see great potential in you."

"Wouldn't you like that Jason?" Blight's voice dropped into her most wheedling tone. "To be a part of something bigger, to be appreciated for who you are… for who you can be?"

The young boy swallowed and refused to meet her gaze. The two polluters exchanged smug glances. "My name is Doctor Blight and this is my associate Looten Plunder... and you, Jason Wheeler, belong with us."

After a few seconds, Wheeler looked up and asked nervously, "What would I have to do?"

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><p>Back in the present time, Gaia called her five teenagers to the Crystal Chamber. "Something is very wrong Planeteers."<p>

As the Earth spirit waved her arm the planet vision shimmered into life and showed an aerial view of their home. Around the small tropical island was what looked like a ring of distortion… and it was closing in.

"What is it Gaia?" Kwame asked. He sounded his usual calm self but his dark eyes were worried.

Linka stepped closer to the screen and answered before Gaia could. "It is not affecting the sea at all, you see where it has passed over, it is calm and as it was before."

"That doesn't mean it's not bad news Babe." The red headed American told her. "It doesn't look natural to me."

Gaia nodded. "In a way, it is natural Wheeler, but you're right it is bad news. It's a temporal schism."

Gi frowned. "A disturbance in time? What caused it?"

"Someone went back in time and changed something, but the effects weren't immediate like killing someone would be." Gaia looked as worried as her Planeteers. "The changes are echoing forward in time slowly, but they're converging here."

"Which means it is something to do with one of us." Linka said. "Our pasts."

"Look!" The youngest eco-warrior exclaimed and pointed at the screen. "The pier, it is gone."

The all turned to look and sure enough, the man made structure was nowhere in sight, as if it had never been there.

"Guys…" Wheeler's voice sounded strangled but only Linka looked around immediately… and she screamed as he disappeared.

The others gasped and demanded to know what happened.

"He looked like a ghost, I could see through him… and then he just vanished." Linka's face was white and she looked like she was on the verge of panic.

Gaia nodded and raised her arms, closing her eyes to concentrate. "We start with Wheeler's past then. I can create a portal for you but we'll only have one chance at this, get to the geo-cruiser before it disappears!"

Her four remaining Planeteers turned and ran.

To be continued...

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><p><strong>AN:** Hope you like my new fic, let me know what you think :o)


	2. Still The Wind

**A/N:** Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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><p><strong>Chapter Two – Still The Wind<strong>

"There're still protesters at the park gate, Mr Plunder, but they wont get in the way of your new mall. I've shown the police the planning permission and they've promised to take care of it." The strange man had kept his word and Wheeler was enjoying his new job.

The American didn't understand why so many people would protest against progress, as he and Plunder had explained, the development would bring new jobs to the area and the children could always play in the street, the way Wheeler and his friends had.

The Eco-Villain clapped the red headed child on the shoulder. "Well done, my boy, you'll make a fine business man when you're older. Now tell the foreman to go ahead."

The boy smiled up at him like he was going to burst with pride at the simple praise, and then ran off to do the man's biding.

Plunder sneered as his partner joined him. "It's pathetic just how needy that kid is, he doesn't even care about being paid as long as I tell him he's doing a good job."

"He **is** doing a good job, he's the best henchman you've ever had." Blight smirked and continued. "You can teach him to worry about the money later, he'll listen because you're being the father he's always wanted, one that will trust him and be proud of him."

The polluter complained. "You're making me feel sick."

"You don't have to care Looten, you just have to make him think you do." She ran a proprietary hand over the fur of his collar. "His story has already faded from the biography, by the time we get back to the present he'll be more dangerous than Verminous Skumm."

"Just as long as he doesn't smell as bad." Plunder grabbed her roughly and pulled her to him for a kiss, his hands groping whatever they found.

Blight submitted to the treatment for a few moments but then pushed him away. "I'm going to get the Ruskie one, I'll be back in a few hours."

"Do we really need to collect all of them?" He moaned. "Won't the kid be enough to stop the Planeteers from forming?"

"Probably." The glint in the doctor's eye was positively evil. "But I want them all under my thumb, and then I want to see Gaia's face when she realises her goody goodies are on our side."

Ever the businessman, Plunder was considering the situation from all sides. "What if she just picks someone else?"

The blond hair in the peek-a-boo-bang shook just enough to reveal the disfigured skin beneath it, making Plunder shiver with revulsion - he was always careful not to dislodge her hair - "I don't think she can, something to do with the rings biological coding… I was able to corrupt it in the duplicate rings, when I created Captain Pollution, but I couldn't alter the originals and I don't think Gaia can either."

Plunder looked dubious but he shrugged. "Whatever. Go and get your little blond protégé then, I have concrete to lay."

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><p>"Alina thinks she's sooo much smarter than us." The dark haired girl sneered and yanked her victim's long blond hair. "Teacher's pet!"<p>

"No, please?" The petite blonds eyes filled with tears. "I did not mean to..."

"You didn't mean to?" The third girl, another brunette, pushed her hard causing her to fall down. "The test was hard, so either you're a swat or a cheat, either way you made us look bad!"

The first girl moved to stand over her. "She's a brain! Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to show off? Oh right, you don't have one!"

She sneered again making her otherwise pretty face hideous, and then both girls burst out laughing as their prey's tears spilled down her face.

The nine year old scrambled to her feet and ran, darting between the other children in the playground so that the bullies wouldn't be able to catch her, and finally slipping into the computer lab.

The children weren't really allowed in there at lunchtime, but the teachers didn't mind if Alina Orlova used them, they knew they could trust her. They also knew she understood them better than they did and relied on her to fix them when something went wrong.

Taking her favourite seat at the back of the class, the frightened young girl tried to dry her eyes. She really didn't mean to stand out but she couldn't seem to help it. She was brighter than most of her peers and she was getting to an age when not having a mother was beginning to bother her, though her grandmother did her best. Alina had been close to her father when she was younger but they didn't seem to have much in common with each other any more and even her brother seemed to have little time for a baby sister. She was very lonely.

"Don't cry, Alina Orlova." The crisp clear voice seemed to come from right in front of her and she yelped in surprise. As she looked up the computer monitor turned from a plain black screen with a flashing command prompt to an almost alive face in vivid green. "My name's Mal, and you and I are going to be good friends."

Fascination overcoming fear, the Russian girl began checking the computer to see if it was some kind of trick, a recording meant to catch her out and possibly humiliate her. At last she said. "What are you?"

Her English was heavily accented but clear, it was another subject she excelled in, much to her classmates dismay.

"I am a highly advanced computer program." Mal replied. "And I've come here to find a special little girl and make her life better."

She looked openly suspicious. "That is not possible."

"Oh but it is." His rich voice broke into resounding laughter and then dropped back into a conversational tone. "Do you like to play… chess?"

Despite the strange circumstances, the young girl's face broke into a smile and she nodded. She'd finally found a friend… it would be her secret.

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><p>"Great work Mal Baby!" The doctor crowed. "You've got that blond eco-brat eating out of your hand."<p>

"Actually Doctor, Linka is a very intelligent young girl." The digital image replied. "I find playing chess with her quite refreshing."

Blight glared at him. "Don't get carried away. According to her biography she's a lonely nerd who needs a friend, your only job is to get her to trust you so that I can grab her."

"Understood Doctor." There was something in his voice that bordered on insolence, but you could never tell with Mal and the mad scientist dismissed it, she'd programmed him after all."

"Anyway, I don't trust Plunder not to mess things up with the boy, we need to get back as soon as we can." She brought the Russian school up on the view screen. "Why couldn't you get her to sneak out?"

Mal laughed. The jets at the side of his monitor fired and he disengaged from the metal arm that he used to move around the ship. "Get a geek to cut school? Doctor, please! Class will be out in less than an hour and she promised to return to the computer room to meet me for a rematch."

"Just get a move on." Blight sulked.

The floating screen headed out of the craft and kept low as he made his way to the school building, to hide in a bush until the bell rang. Once the computer lab was empty, he rose up and used his pincers to open the window before slipping inside and finding somewhere to keep out of sight.

He didn't have to wait long. A much happier looking Linka ran into the room and called out. "Mal? Are you here? I came back."

"Very good, Alina." The green face rose from below the desk and elicited a startled noise from the child. "I thought we could go for a little walk."

"What **are** you?" She asked insistently, her eyes wide.

Mal's image smiled. "You know what I am Alina, a friend. You understand computers, you're not afraid of me are you?"

Linka shook her head.

"Good." Mal moved over to the open window. "Then come with me."

The young Russian was a smart girl but her experience of the world was limited to her family, her teachers and her school fellows. Aside from the odd bully, she really had no reason to distrust anyone that was being nice to her, and so of course, she went with him.

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><p>The Geo-cruiser rose into the air and headed for the vortex Gaia had created.<p>

Linka sat at the back and looked at the empty space opposite her. _Please be okay Yankee…_

She was so caught up in her feelings for her missing team-mate, and the journey through the portal, it wasn't until they landed again that she realised there was more wrong with her.

"Kwame." She said weakly. "I am not feeling very well, I think I am going to be next."

The African moved quickly to her side and lay a hand on her arm. "I can still see you, let us go and find Gaia, maybe she can help."

Linka nodded and followed the others out onto a rather empty looking island. Only the Crystal Chamber was there.

"Where is everything?" Ma-Ti asked, clearly dismayed.

Gi put a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder. "This is before it was built Ma-Ti, but don't worry, Gaia will be here."

"I am not so sure." Linka replied weakly as they walked into their leaders hut. "She has always said that she called us after she awoke from a long sleep… I am not sure she will hear us."

Her worry was reflected in all their eyes and as Kwame called several times for the Earth Spirit, without success, their worst fears were confirmed. "We are alone here."


	3. New First Impressions

**A/N:** Thanks again for all the reviews! Hope you enjoy the next part.

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><p><strong>Chapter Three - New First Impressions<strong>

"Please, my Papa will be worried, let me go home?" The pale-faced young girl begged her kidnapper. Then turning to the computer screen. "Please Mal? You said we were friends!"

The green face was unusually silent but his mistress had enough to say for both of them. "Alina, my little technological-menace-in-waiting, you don't realise what we're offering you."

She strutted around the control room of the ship, gesturing about her. "**Knowledge… **technology years ahead of anything you've seen before and the chance to be mentored by a genius! It's the opportunity of a life time!"

"To do what?" The little girl asked suspiciously.

"Anything you want! Money, fame, scientific discovery, what more could you ask for?" Blight gave her a dazzling smile, assuming she'd made a perfect argument.

_My family could use the money, I could do so much for them, but…_ Linka's eyes filled with tears, she was frightened and she knew every moment was taking her further from home.

Blight rolled her eyes and Mal took over. "Everyone would want to be your friend Alina, no one would ever dare bully you again because **you** would be making the rules. They'd all have to listen to **you**, follow **you**, fear **you**."

"That does not sound like friendship to me." The Russian said quietly, looking down at the floor and beginning to tremble.

The doctor sighed heavily. "Mal, take her to her room, she can stay there until she gets with the program."

Linka followed Mal without a fight. Entering the small room he indicated, and curling up on the bed with her knees pulled up and her head resting in her arms, the young girl began to sob.

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><p>"Why have <strong>I<strong> got to take her dinner to her?" Wheeler complained. "I'm not a baby sitter!"

Blight gave her companion a look and he turned to his young protégé saying smoothly. "Alina is having trouble adjusting, she needs someone to reassure her, someone who is closer to her age than we are. You've settled in so well, I know you'll do a good job."

The American boy pulled a face and addressed Blight. "If she doesn't want in, we should just cut her loose! There must be hundreds of girls that could help you, if you really need a **girl**."

Plunder frowned, a dangerous note in his voice, "Are you going to disappoint me Jason?"

Wheeler's eyes opened wide. "No Mr Plunder!"

The two eco-villains watched him scurry from the room and laughed loudly. "So who's next Barbara my dear?"

"Kwame. I don't want any more bawling kids around here." Blight replied contemptuously. "He's older than the other two and he should be grateful to get out of that dust bowl he calls a home."

"Do you think it's a good idea to let those two get to know each other?" Mal asked, looking thoughtfully in the direction Wheeler had gone.

Again Blight laughed. "Why not? They'd never have amounted to anything without Gaia, and we still want them to work together, we're just giving them a new direction… to fight **against** the planet!"

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><p>Wheeler re-adjusted the tray he was carrying and pressed the door release of the new girl's room.<p>

She looked up as he entered and the young boy paused, suddenly forgetting what he was going to say. Despite the slight redness around her eyes and the tears still running down her cheeks, the delicate blond looked adorable, in fact, she was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen.

"Er, hi." He swallowed. "I'm er, Jason."

Linka sniffed and asked in a small voice, "Do you work for Doctor Blight? Or are you a prisoner too?"

"No, er… kinda." He stepped forward, offering her the tray, and then put it on the side when she shook her head. "Blight and Plunder… they're okay, a bit nuts maybe, but they've been good to me."

He sat on the end of the bed. "They want to help us."

"Do you really believe that?" Linka looked at him curiously, her tears beginning to dry up now that she wasn't alone.

Wheeler shrugged. "I don't have a reason to doubt them."

Linka hesitated. "Doctor Blight would not let me contact my father… do you think you could convince her?"

The boy swallowed and then shook his head. "Don't think so, sorry. Blight doesn't listen to anyone, except maybe Mal, and though Plunder would like to think otherwise, she's pretty much in charge around here."

Trying to fill the silence that followed, he pointed to the tray. "You should eat something."

Again she refused, but her posture was beginning to relax and she persisted with her line of thought. "What about your family? Have you been allowed to speak to them?"

Wheeler looked away and said sulkily. "I haven't asked, I don't want to talk to them."

"Why not?"

"You ask too many questions for a kid!"

Linka's eyes misted up again. "I am sorry."

The American winced. "No, I am… I just… don't want to talk about it, okay?"

She nodded.

"What's your name anyway? And that accent… it's kinda cool." He smiled and she found herself smiling back.

"Alina. I am from the Soviet Union." Her voice was just above a whisper. "You can call me Linka if you like… it is what my family calls me."

The boy grinned. "What about your friends?"

She looked away. "I do not have any."

"You do now." Wheeler stated firmly, and held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you Linka."

Linka blushed. "Me too, Jason."

They shook awkwardly before quickly reclaiming their hands, and it made Linka giggle, unconsciously wrapping Wheeler still further around her little finger.

"You know, the best thing you can do is go along with them… I know it seems hard now but it'll get easier." She looked sceptical so he continued. "They'll allow you more freedom if you help out, I have the run of the ship… maybe after a while we'll find a way to get a message to your folks."

"You will help me?" There was something about her, perhaps it was because she looked so vulnerable, but as she sat there looking up into his eyes, Wheeler realised he would have promised her nearly anything.

He nodded. "Yeah, I will."

The pretty young girl's face broke out into a smile, turning him to mush. "Maybe I will try eating something after all."

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><p>The Planeteers parked the geo-cruiser on top of a familiar apartment block in Brooklyn and made their way down to Wheeler's parent's home. It hadn't taken them long to work out 'when' they were, so they'd decided to follow the only lead they had.<p>

"Who are we going to say we are?" Gi asked. "Wheeler must be, what? Thirteen? We can hardly say we're friends of his."

"Ten." Linka replied softly. "Do you think he will be here?"

Kwame frowned. "I do not know… it is possible I suppose. After all, Gaia said that whatever it was, happened over time, she did not seem to think he was dead. Perhaps we can say we are with the board of education?"

Linka looked worried. "I do not think we should say anything that could get him in trouble with his father…"

The African met her eyes and nodded in understanding.

"Let's just be ourselves." Ma-Ti suggested. "They will never have heard of us but that does not matter."

The Planeteers exchanged glances and nodded in agreement before knocking on the apartment door.

A nervous looking older woman with red-rimmed eyes and a bruise fading from her cheek, answered the door and spoke in a hushed voice, "Can I help you?"

"Mrs Wheeler?" Kwame waited for her to confirm that they had the right place. "We are the Planeteers, we were hoping to speak to your son about taking part in a community project?"

The thin woman gave him a frightened glance and mumbled that her son wasn't home, trying as she did so, to shut them out.

"Mrs Wheeler." Linka stepped forward. "We do need to speak to him, it is very important, please? Can you tell us where we can find him?"

"Is he… in trouble?"

"Not with us." Kwame assured her, "But we are concerned for him."

Wheeler's mother was clearly upset. "We haven't seen him, he… er," She cast a nervous look over her shoulder. "He hasn't been home in weeks… I know I should call the police but… he had an argument with his father and…"

A door slammed somewhere inside and a rough male voice yelled out. "If you're selling something we don't want it!" The front door was yanked open roughly to reveal a middle-aged man who smelt strongly of liquor.

"They were asking about Jason…" Mrs Wheeler didn't get any further.

"Useless bum!" He growled. "You want him, you can keep him."

Linka's eyes flashed with anger. "He is your son! How can you say such things?"

The man glared. "Who has a better right to say it? Get out of here, Commie Bitch!"

The Wind Planeteer's cheeks burned red but no one noticed because when Wheeler's mother screamed and pointed at her, it was because she was disappearing…


	4. When to Fight

**A/N:** Thanks for all the reviews guys, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

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><p><strong>Chapter Four - When to Fight<strong>

"Check!" Linka crowed, moving her queen into place.

Mal grinned, his green face glowing brighter with simulated excitement. "I haven't lost yet Alina."

The program's pincer reached out from his monitor body and moved the black bishop to intercept, putting one of the girl's rooks under threat at the same time.

It was their second game that day and though Linka wasn't really a match for the computer's logic, she wasn't making it easy for him either.

"Well played Alina!" Mal exclaimed as the game reached its inevitable conclusion a few moves later.

"I lost." She replied flatly. The Russian girl was not a bad loser she just didn't like accepting praise for what she considered a failure.

Mal shook his digitized head. "It's not about winning, it's about the skill you displayed while you are playing. You are light years ahead of anyone your age, and a lot of adults too, you are… exceptional."

The young girl shrugged. "I still lost."

"Nice to know you're not perfect." A young American voice chimed in huffily, earning a glare from Linka.

Wheeler didn't really mind that she was smarter than him, in fact he was secretly impressed, but he didn't like being made to look bad and it seemed to him that, since she'd started co-operating, the Russian was constantly showing him up.

"Are you ready for your next lesson Munchkin?" Doctor Blight oozed fake affection over her new protégé, making both children feel queasy.

"Yes Doctor." Linka smiled sweetly and moved to the computer console, ignoring Wheeler's cough into his fist 'suck up'.

It annoyed the young girl no end that he would take shots at her, knowing full well why she was playing along, but she'd gotten over her shyness towards him and felt no compunction in answering him back.

"You can talk!" She yelled, turning on him suddenly. "You follow Plunder around like a puppy dog."

"Oh yeah?" He faced up to her, using his greater height to try to intimidate her. "At least I don't dress like him, what's with the pink jumpsuits? You look like a Barbie doll!"

Linka put her hands on her hips, not about to give him an inch and pronouncing her words slowly and carefully. "Doctor Blight had some new clothes made for me, I think they look great!" That last was a lie but she couldn't say anything else in front of the mad scientist.

Linka was amazed at herself, she'd never been able to stand up for herself before, but there was something about Wheeler that made yelling back okay… safe. No matter how many arguments they had, and they seemed to argue about something almost constantly, he didn't hold a grudge. He was never spiteful after one of their fights, in fact, as long she didn't stay angry, he didn't seem bothered by the things she said at all.

One thing both children noticed however, was that their new guardian's seemed to take pleasure in their bickering, as if they didn't really want them to be friends even though they expected them to work together.

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><p>Linka's understanding of computers was coming on in leaps and bounds. The information available inside the ships mainframe held the young geek spellbound, it was almost enough to make her want to stay… almost.<p>

"Mal?" She frowned over the data.

"Yes Alina?" He sounded pleased, but then he nearly always did.

Linka pointed at her screen. "It says here that the USSR was dissolved by the end of the twentieth century into it's const… into the countries that make it up."

"That is correct." Mal hovered looking smug, waiting for her to finish her question.

"But the end of the twentieth century has not happened yet." The young blond pointed out. "And my home is still a part of the Soviet Union."

"Also correct." He was obviously enjoying the exchange.

Linka frowned. "So… this is a prediction?"

The computer made a noise that was meant to emulate a wrong answer in a popular quiz show, it meant nothing to Linka but she still got the drift.

"Well what is it then?" She asked impatiently.

"History!" He replied triumphantly. "Or the future, depending on 'when' you're from."

Linka put her hands on her hips and gave the computer screen a look. "Explain!"

"This ship has travelled back in time, fifteen years to be precise."

"That is not possible."

Mal laughed. "You do not know everything yet, Alina Orlova."

Again Linka frowned, wondering if he was making fun of her. "Da, but…"

"There you are, my little blond minion." Blight seemed excited by something. "The supplies I need for my new experiment have arrived, come and help me."

Linka followed the doctor into her lab and exclaimed happily. Running over to one of the cages to lift out the small furry animal it contained, she cradled it in her arms. "Oh! They are beautiful, can we keep them?"

Blight looked slightly perplexed. "While they last… yes."

"While they last?" Linka looked up at her mentor in confusion, the expression in her eyes completely innocent.

It was an expression that didn't last long as the evil doctor blithely explained the tests she planned to run, completely oblivious of the effect it was having on the small girl.

"Nyet." Linka whispered, her voice horse as she struggled to find her courage.

Interrupted mid flow by the softly spoken denial, Blight turned sharply. "What did you say?"

Linka swallowed. "Nyet… you cannot hurt them."

"Don't you tell me what I can do, you little brat!" As she spoke Blights voice turned into a screech, wild with anger that Linka had had the effrontery to contradict her.

It was too much for the timid Russian, her strength against her friend gone in the face of an adult's rage and she fled from the room in tears. She wasn't done though. Frightened though she was, her one thought was to save the rabbits, and her instinct led her straight to Wheeler.

He wasn't hard to find. With Plunder away in Africa, Wheeler had little to do other than sulk over the fact that he hadn't been allowed to go along.

"Jason!" She sobbed, running into his room without knocking and trying not to drop the small bundle she still held. "You have to stop her! Please, she will hurt them, we cannot let her…"

"Whoa! Calm down." The American stood up and rested his hands on his friend's shoulders. "What happened?"

She held up the rabbit to him, gasping out her reply through her tears. "She wants to hurt them… she called it an experiment but… it is torture!"

Wheeler grimaced. "Linka, I know it must seem bad but, sometimes there's no other way, I mean they find all sorts of cures by…"

"**Nyet!**" The young girl yelled back at him, finding her voice suddenly. "She wants to do it because she enjoys it! She does not want to help anybody! She is cruel and… and evil and… you have to **do** something! **Now!**"

"Okay, okay." He wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to do but he let Linka drag him back into the lab anyway, not wanting to let her down.

Blight whirled on them as they entered. She had another rabbit in her gloved hands and the sight of it made Linka yelp, though she cowered behind her champion. "What do you want?"

"Erm, Linka wants you to let the rabbits go." He swallowed. "Please?"

The doctor's laugh was chilling but Linka squeezed her friend's hand in a silent appeal and he squared up to the older woman. "You're upsetting Alina. You can do another experiment, one that doesn't involve any animals."

The light in Blight's eyes was positively dangerous and her scar was showing, frightening Linka still further. "Who do you think you are, you miniature eco-brat? I'm in charge here!"

Wheeler swallowed and cast a look at his companion. Her eyes were full of trust and it wrung his heart, as did the soft words she spoke. "It is wrong Jason."

Clearly intimidated by the overbearing doctor, Linka's quiet conviction spoke louder to the young boy than any amount of shouting on the doctor's part. He gave her a small smile and a nod and then turned back to Blight. "Linka says it's wrong, and if she say's it's wrong, then it's wrong. I wont let you do it."

Walking over to the third cage, Wheeler removed its occupant and then walked back to Blight and held out his hand for her last captive.

The children had the advantage of surprise and it made their kidnapper hesitate, and seeing that, Mal chose to step in, speaking in a wheedling tone. "Doctor, perhaps it would be better not to perform this kind of experiment while your student is at such an **impressionable** age? We do want her to understand the good we can do them after all, don't we Doctor?"

Blight slowly turned to look at her computerized companion, her rage subsiding as quickly as it came. "Whatever. Mal clear this mess up."

She thrust her test subject at Wheeler and stalked from the room, dismissing them all, or so it seemed. Once she was out of earshot she addressed another console, which immediately had Mal's image appear. "Contact Plunder and tell him to come back. We have a problem."

"Yes Doctor."

"And Mal."

"Yes Doctor?"

"Take her side against me again and I'll decompile you."

"Yes Doctor!"

* * *

><p>The Wind Planeteer shimmered into transparency, almost disappearing completely before solidifying once more.<p>

"**Get out of here!**" Mr Wheeler yelled, once the power of speech had returned to him. "We don't want any of your weird-ass Commie mumbo-jumbo around here!"

He yanked his wife roughly into their apartment and slammed the door shut.

Kwame placed a tentative hand on Linka's shoulder, worried that he might pass straight through her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded but said, "I feel a little sick."

The African patted her shoulder. "Take a few moments, and then we had better get moving my friends."

"Where to?" Gi looked frightened and she plainly wasn't thinking clearly.

Kwame smiled. "Russia. Linka is obviously having more success resisting whatever is happening to her than Wheeler did, we need to get to her and help before it is too late."

Linka paled still further, "Can you leave me on Hope Island please?"

"We will need you to translate." Kwame said softly. "I am sorry, I know you do not feel well, just keep thinking about Wheeler."

Linka glared at him, not liking what he was suggesting. "That is not the problem!"

"Then what is?"

She hesitated, hurting anew as she reflected that Wheeler wouldn't have needed to ask. "It does not matter, I will deal with it."

Ma-Ti stepped closer, "Linka, is there some reason that you do not want to talk to your grandmother? Or are you worried about meeting yourself?"

"Nyet not... nyet, it is... my Papa." Tears prickled her eyes. "It is 1983... he is still alive."


	5. Turn the Earth to Dust

**A/N: **I didn't mean to leave this one quite so long, I hope you enjoy this installment though!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five – Turn the Earth to Dust<strong>

Wheeler sat up in his bed, reading one of the books Plunder had bought for him. It was a graphic novel featuring some of his favourite superheroes and he was imagining what it would be like to have special powers and fight alongside them against the villains of the world.

His door opened and a nervous looking Linka entered. "I cannot sleep, can I sit in here for a while?"

"I guess so." The American shrugged and went back to reading his book as his friend made herself comfortable in his chair.

There was silence for a while and then the Russian said. "Thank you. For helping the rabbits I mean."

Wheeler shrugged, he was getting to an exciting part in his story where the bad guy was just about to reveal his evil scheme. "It's okay."

"She was very angry, do you not think? Doctor Blight?" Linka persisted, and when she received a non-committal grunt in return, added, "You are not scared of her?"

Wheeler sighed, figuring she wasn't going to give him any peace until he answered her. "No, I'm not afraid of her. She's batshit crazy but she wants us for something, besides, my old man's scarier than she is when he's had a few."

Linka frowned. "I do not understand what you just said."

The American looked away, not able to meet her eyes, and shrugged. "My dad… he drinks… a lot."

"And that frightens you?" She asked, trying to hang on to the thread of a conversation that was alien to her.

"Yeah." Looking back at her and seeing her confusion, Wheeler groaned. "He gets mean okay? He… hurts Mom, and me… he's always sorry when he's sober and she forgives him every time but… it's getting worse. When he's not drunk he's thinking about getting drunk so he's cranky the whole time… that's why I left."

Linka is still frowning. "Why does he do it?"

"How the hell should I know?" Wheeler's sudden anger startled the young girl and she leant back in her chair as if his words had pinned her there. "Because he's an asshole. Because he thinks we've ruined his life… Because I'm a huge disappointment to him and he blames Mom for not giving him a better son. Does it matter?"

The Russian nods. "Of course it matters, maybe he is sick." Wheeler snorted derisively so she added. "Well it cannot be because you are a disappointment!"

There was something so final about the way she said it, she made herself blush but it made Wheeler smile. It was a goofy smile, one that Linka found herself responding to despite her embarrassment, but her face soon fell again in the wake of his next question. "I know you get on well with your Dad, but what about your Mom? You haven't mentioned her."

"She is dead."

Wheeler grimaced. "Sorry."

Shrugging, Linka replied, "I did not really know her… I was three when it happened, she was sick. My Grandmother has looked after me though, and I have Papa and Mishka."

"Mishka?" Wheeler asked. "Your sister?"

Linka giggled. "My brother."

The American rolled his eyes. "How's anyone supposed to tell it's a guy?"

"**We** can tell!" She gave him a stern look but they both knew she wasn't really mad, and the effect was ruined anyway when she began to yawn.

Wheeler chuckled. "Maybe you better go back to bed."

Shaking her head, Linka looked fearfully at the door as if she expected a monster to burst through it at any moment.

"Blight's not going to do anything, if she was she'd have done it already."

Linka nodded slowly and stood up to face the door, but she only took one hesitant step forward and she looked like she was going to her execution.

Wheeler groaned and climbed out of bed. "Fine, you sleep here, I'll take the chair."

"I cannot ask you to do that." Linka looked very guilty and it softened the way the young boy spoke when he responded.

"Don't sweat it, there's been a few bad nights with my Dad when I'd have been glad to have someone else around." He pulled another blanket from a cupboard and made himself comfortable in the chair but she was still hesitating so he added. "I've slept under my bed, in a cupboard and on the fire escape before now, I can go off just about anywhere."

Linka smiled and took his place in the bed, laying down and pulling the covers up around her, but keeping her eyes on her companion, just to make sure he didn't disappear. "Spasiba. Goodnight Jason."

"Night Babe." He closed his eyes and was asleep almost immediately.

The Russian girl smiled and continued to watch him until she too fell asleep.

* * *

><p>When no retribution came from Dr Blight the following morning Linka began to relax again, her fears, at least temporarily, forgotten. In fact, everything would have settled back into a normal routine had it not been for the return of Looten Plunder, and the tall young African youth that accompanied him.<p>

"Check!" Linka cried triumphantly as her well played gambit forced her computerised opponent to take defensive action.

He moved his black knight to block her diagonal attack but it was itself defenceless so she captured it and repeated her declaration, "Check!"

"Are you winning today?" Wheeler asked, coming over to lean on the back of her chair and peer over her shoulder at the game.

Mal moved his king out of the way and she shook her head, frowning as she considered her next move.

"I am an incredibly sophisticated computer program. That Alina can threaten my king at all is a testament to her intelligence." Mal informed them proudly.

The American laughed as she coloured up under the praise. "She's a regular brain box alright." He softened his words with a kiss, placed gently, if carelessly, on her cheek, causing her to blush even more and lower her head shyly.

Wheeler didn't notice her reaction though because his attention had already been claimed by the opening of the ships outer door. "Mr Plunder!"

Linka tried to hide the frown that crossed her features at the return of the eco-villain by studying the chess board with renewed determination. She didn't like the way her young companion acted around his new mentor.

"Wheeler, my boy, meet Kwame." Looten sounded tired. "He doesn't speak a word of English but I'm sure you'll get on fine, he seems biddable enough."

Linka turned back around to view the newcomer and finding a rather lost looking African boy a year or two older than herself, smiled encouragingly at him.

"What do we need him for?" The American asked petulantly. "If he can't even speak properly, what good is he?"

Linka glared and rose to take their new companion's hand.

"Just because he does not speak your language, that does not mean he is stupid." She looked up at the older man. "I will teach him if Jason will not, Mr Plunder."

Plunder looked surprised. "Why, thank you Alina."

"You?" Wheeler sounded annoyed, though not even he could say whether it was because of her showing him up in front of his mentor or her sudden defection from his side. "You thought a vacation meant clearing out a room until I explained, and you can't even pronounce it right."

The young girl drew herself up and squeezed a confused Kwame's hand, ignoring the American though his words had stung. "I will show him where he can sleep, I assume he is sharing with Jason, there is not another room?"

Plunder nodded. He was still amazed at how bold she was being, not to mention co-operative, especially considering Blight's urgent message to return. He even wondered for a second if the scientist had run an experiment or two on the young girl but she didn't seem damaged, just more confident.

"**I'LL take him!**" The American boy yelled, glaring at his younger friend, "**It's MY room!** Besides, you have a board game to lose!"

At that point he grabbed hold of the African's upper arm and yanked him towards the rooms, making Linka yelp when she didn't let go of Kwame's hand quick enough, and stumble a few steps after them. Left behind rubbing her arm, the Russian at first looked like she was going to cry and her digital friend, who had been quiet until then, floated up beside her and tried in his own way, to offer comfort. "He is not worth your time Alina, he is just here to do the physical labour, _you_ will be the brains of the team."

"He is a durak." She scowled at Mal and it was difficult to tell if she agreed with him or not.

The two friends returned to their game, leaving Plunder chuckling to himself as he went in search of his partner in crime.

* * *

><p>Linka stood silently, regarding the house of her childhood, and trying to get up the courage to knock on the front door. The building itself had actually changed very little in the intervening years, except that it was a bit shabbier when she had last seen it in her own time.<p>

_My father is in there_. She thought. _Will he know me for his daughter? Nyet, of course not, and I cannot tell him, just as I cannot tell him what is going to happen four years from now…_

"Linka?" Kwame placed a hand on her shoulder, making her jump. "You do not have to do this."

Gi stepped up on the wind planeteer's other side and gave her hand a friendly squeeze. "You said your family speaks English, let us do it, you don't need to put yourself through that."

Linka smiled sadly, "I need to see him, it is my last chance."

"I understand." The African said solemnly, "If I had a chance to go back and meet my father, I would take it."

Behind them the fourth member of their group finally spoke up, but there was pain in his voice. "I would not."

They turned to look at him, concern for the youngest of them evident in their eyes as he continued. "If I could go back and spend one more day with my parents, I would not do it… the temptation to try to save them would be too great. The future is counting on us," He looked into Linka's eyes. "Wheeler is counting on us."

Anger replaced the sorrow the Russian girl had been feeling and when she spoke it exploded from her. "**Do not you dare Ma-Ti! I am NOT going to choose between them!**"

The Kyapo lowered his gaze to the ground, his hand coming up to hold his head, and his ring flashing in response to the strong emotions his words had engendered. "I did not mean to hurt you Linka, I just do not think we should risk forgetting what is at stake… but you are stronger than I am, if you think you can do this…"

There were tears in Linka's eyes and she looked younger all of a sudden, it was one of those rare times when she let her vulnerability show, "I **have** to do this. If something has happened to… me, they will be suspicious of strangers, we will need to be cautious and I know them better than you do."

He said no more so as soon as she had regained her composure, the wind Planeteer closed the remaining distance to her front door and knocked, almost holding her breath as she waited to see who would answer.

The small group didn't have long to wait as the door was yanked open almost immediately by an attractive middle aged man with blond hair, who stopped short when he saw them. He started to say something in Russian and then his eyes widened in shock and his voice cracked. "Rina?"

Linka struggled to keep her own reaction in check though it wasn't easy, and it didn't help that he obviously perceived the resemblance she bore to her mother. Shaking her head and opening her mouth to speak, the lovely blond found herself unable to form a sound around the lump in her throat. She swallowed and tried again. "Nyet. I am sorry. I did not mean to distress you. Um, Katerina was… that is, we were related… I mean…"

The sun disappeared behind a cloud and the glowing vision before him faded into an exceptionally pretty young girl in her early twenties, and Nicolai Orlov fought to contain his distress.

"I apologise." He adopted the English tongue, as Linka had, but only after he had done so did he notice her friends. "I was not thinking clearly, this is a trying time for my family." He shook his head as if trying to dispel the lingering melancholy, "How may I help you?"

Linka glanced towards Kwame, suddenly unsure of what to say. The African acknowledged her enquiry with a slight incline of his head and stepped forward. "A friend of ours has gone missing and we have reason to believe there may be a connection to your daughter, could we speak to her?"

Grief filled the man's face, "She is gone."


	6. New Old Friendships

**A/N: **I can't believe it's been over two years since I last updated this! Thanks for reminding me now and then, it was never really forgotten just a lack of time and a brain that wouldn't focus where I wanted it to.

I hope you enjoy this short installment... I'd like to say that I won't keep you waiting so long again and I hope I won't, but I can't promise. Do please let me know what you think of this chapter though, and maybe you'll convince my mind not to wander.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six – New Old Friendships<strong>

"Mission accomplished." Plunder announced with a flourish as he entered Blight's lab. "Three proto-eco-geeks down, two to go."

"Don't be so sure." Blight glared and filled him in on their recruits' minor rebellion.

The eco-villain looked grave for a moment but then said thoughtfully, "It may be as well that I returned with Kwame when I did then. From what I just saw it has already altered the dynamic of their relationship, there is a sense of rivalry and competition between them that will increase with another companion. They were bickering in a none-too-friendly way."

"Or," His partner stated, "Kwame will make peace between them. I don't like it Looten, their loyalty needs to be to us, not each other."

Plunder nodded, "Perhaps we should introduce a little more competition, offer specific rewards for certain tasks and let them fight it out who gets to perform them. Wheeler does not like to be bested."

Blight agreed coldly, "We can try it, but either way we need to keep an eye on them. Did you manage to convince Kwame to join us or did you have to kidnap him?"

"I bought him." The business man stated, "His mother is ill and his village poor. She was more than happy to tell him to co-operate with us in return for a reasonable amount and the hope that he'll be able to earn more. I hope Alina can improve his English as she offered to though, or it could become extremely tiresome trying to explain things to him. Why he couldn't have learnt English first I don't know."

Smiling for the first time that day, Blight agreed but said, "It might actually work to our advantage, if Linka is determined to help him that means her spending a lot of time and attention on him, and Wheeler might not be so quick to jump to her defence again… yes this could work out very well."

* * *

><p>Linka had refused to look at Wheeler when he returned to the main living area, keeping her attention firmly on her studies. It seemed that Mal had produced an extra bed and supplies for their new companion but had otherwise left the boys to organise themselves and the American was still grumbling about having to share his room, although Kwame had done nothing but co-operate.<p>

"Jason," Plunder called as he also returned, "I have some business to attend to, I need you with me."

"Yes Mr Plunder!" Wheeler forgot his grievances immediately and fell in at the villain's side making Linka glare at her computer terminal all the more.

Looten paused, considering Kwame for a moment but as he glanced down at Wheeler and saw the renewed hostility there he decided it was better to foster the boy's loyalty by favouring him. "Alina, help your new friend settle in while we're gone, and see if you can find something useful for him to do."

"Yes Mr Plunder." She responded calmly and got up to approach the young man who had been listening the whole time. "It is Kwame, da?"

"I am Kwame." The heavily accented African responded.

Linka's eyes strayed to the young American's retreating back for a moment and Kwame's eyes followed hers. "Is Jason always not friendly?"

The Russian's gaze shot back to the older boy, realising that she'd been caught out. Her expression troubled and her voice uncertain she tried to explain, "He **is** friendly, it is just… he wants to impress Mr Plunder and when he is being like that you cannot talk to him. I do not like him when he is acting that way."

Kwame tilted his head slightly, regarding her as if trying to make something out. "You do not want to impress our employer?"

"**Employer?!**" She covered her mouth immediately and looked around for Doctor Blight. When she decided it was safe to continue Linka dropped her voice into a whisper. "They kidnapped me and will not let me leave. My father does not even know where I am."

Her new friend frowned, "I do not understand."

"Neither do I." Linka shrugged, and then eyed him speculatively, "You understand English as well as I do."

A smile crossed Kwame's features that made his brown eyes sparkle. "Yes, but I have not had much chance to speak it. But Mr Plunder spoke to my mother about hiring me, her English is not good and she spoke to me in our native language… he assumed I understood little and I have not had a reason to correct him."

Linka giggled, "I will not tell him or Jason either, and you do not have to worry about Mal, he is my friend and he does not like Mr Plunder. Do you want something to eat?"

"Yes, that would be welcome." He smiled at her again and she decided he would be much easier to be around than Wheeler.

* * *

><p>"Gone?" Linka blinked, trying unsuccessfully to remember anything in her past that would warrant such a statement. "Gone where?"<p>

The Russian man shook his head as if thinking better of his statement, his expression suddenly turning wary. "I am sorry, I need to go. I should not be talking to you."

"We can help." Put in Ma-Ti quickly, and Gi agreed with him. "We wouldn't do anything to endanger Linka."

Again the man shook his head, "I cannot help you, I do not know where she is."

"Please Mr Orlova," Kwame said in his calm manner, "Let us help you find your daughter."

The older man was still hesitating but then his eyes fell on Linka once more and he couldn't ignore the resemblance he saw to his wife... she had to be family. Besides, he had run out of options. He nodded finally and let them into his house, telling them to go on through to the kitchen and make themselves comfortable around the table while he made some drinks.

"The police think that my little Linka ran away but I do not believe it." Mr Orlova shook his head, some of his distress showing, "She would not."

"Of course I..." Linka swallowed her heated denial. "I do not believe it either!" She swallowed again and hoped her Grandmother was not at home to deny her next statement. "Aunt Olga's letters made it clear that she was very happy here."

Her words might have reassured her father about her connection to them but seemed to have the opposite effect in relation to his daughter. He sighed and shook his head. "Olga is very good to us, Linka does not let her see her tears, or me either... But I know my daughter. Losing her mother was difficult for all of us. I try, but sometimes I feel disconnected like Katerina was what kept us together."

Linka was trying not to cry and she was very grateful for kwame carrying the conversation.

"When did your daughter disappear?"

"Two weeks ago." Nicolai finished handing out the drinks and then sat with them at the table. "There has been no ransom, no sightings… we have searched everywhere. I do not know what else to do… I am afraid I will never see her again."

Kwame frowned, "What about her friends, they did not see anything odd the day she disappeared? How was she acting?"

The older man sighed and ran his hands through his hair making Linka desperately want to hold them and reassure him. "The teachers asked questions of her classmates and apparently there were a couple of girls picking on her… not an unusual occurence it seems." He winced as if in pain. "I never knew, she never said anything, never complained…"

He obviously felt guilty and it made Linka even more miserable so she tried to comfort him. "She is strong, she probably just did not think it was worth mentioning."

Her father shook his head, "My Linka is a timid little thing with a very loving heart, it hurts her when the birds we use down the mines die and she cries herself to sleep. Believe me, if someone is unkind to her, she feels it."

Linka lowered her eyes, embarrassed at being so exposed in front of her friends. She could tell they were surprised and she couldn't blame them, she'd become much better at hiding her feelings in the years since her father's death and in truth only Wheeler had ever suspected how much it cost her to deal with the suffering they encountered in their roles as Planeteers.

"Did you speak to the girls yourself?" Kwame persisted, diverting attention away from her. "Or any of her friends?"

Again Linka suffered the pangs of mortification as Mr Orlova confessed that his daughter had no friends, or at least, none that he knew of. "She is so shy..."

"Did anyone check m…her computer?" The Wind Planeteer asked suddenly, the association between that piece of technology and her lack of other companionship still strong enough to make her think of it.

"She does not have one." Her father looked confused, "We cannot afford such a luxury."

Linka shook her head, "I meant at the school, she… spends a lot of time there. Aunt Olga said."

Before Nicolai could ask any awkward questions Kwame rose and suggested that they go to the school, only to find that Linka's father was intent on going with them.


End file.
